Since then, he’s released a couple more gems, with “Not Enough” topping the list. Think of them as a Yank Foals, if you will, with killer choruses to boot. Tiggs’ delivery is soulful, but it’s also lively, charismatic, and contagious. It reminds me of [LA punk heroes] X.”. Everyone loves a good story about a brand new artist popping up out of nowhere and delivering a smash hit on their first try. Subsequent tracks didn’t disappoint, and their debut live show in New York was a lot of fun too. The flashes of peculiarity are shared across the music by both artists, and their sounds aren’t all that far removed from one another, but it’s how the internet is obviously important for both of the young artists that really ties them together. No more, no less. “Fraud” is an easy recent favorite, but his entire Concept Vague debut is required listening for any nascent fan. Shura 17. The world is still flattening out, and the artists who are emerging today know fewer boundaries than any generation we’ve ever seen making music. The sonic baby of St. Vincent’s “Digital Witness” and Earl Sweatshirt’s reserved raps, London took a mix of eclectic sounds and never looked back. Watch videos, view photos more at GRAMMY.com. These guys are about to make a huge impact in 2016. If Iceage covering Nirvana sounds like your thing, then check out ‘Nobody Cares’. There are plenty of rappers making dark and menacing hip-hop, but few do it with as much finesse as Night Lovell. ... Scott Eaton’s resumé – artist, animator, designer, draughtsman, coder – is unparalleled. The Garden: LA twins Fletcher and Wyatt Shears may have modelled for Hedi Slimane, but that doesn’t mean they’re not focused on the music. In short, never question the potential of a creator who already gave us the excuse to croon “saucin’ on you” and an impressive Bob Dylan acoustic cover. Robert Ellis 15. Having now signed a deal with Virgin EMI, he’s set to release his debut album – the Mike Skinner influenced ‘Jerk At The End Of The Line’ – in March. The ceremony was the sixth consecutive Mnet Asian Music Awards to be hosted outside of South Korea. One of the latest artists to catch our eye is Max Wonders, an teenage rapper who told us that he’s as influenced by Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Lou Reed as he is by Outkast and Lil Wayne. KAMAU’s decision to reinvent Outkast’s “Hey Ya” was savvy on a couple of levels. If you spent any time listening to radio stations like Rinse, Radar, or NTS, you will have heard the name AJ Tracey. Artist Chris Stapleton Label Mercury Nashville Released 2015. His most popular work is territorial and aggressive, but also undeniably catchy. Bubbling for … Sam Smith was the big winner at the 2015 Grammys, taking home four awards for best new artist, best pop vocal album, record of the year and song of the year. There’s something of Stereolab to them, with a nice indie girl/boy vocal.”. It’s full of sneering cool, delivered in with an offhand intensity that sounds like she’s making it up as she goes along. They make cool garage rock and they’re the best live band in the world. Women, both those on the list above and so many others (Demi Lovato, Meghan Trainor, Florence Welch...) clearly reigned supreme in the year 2015. But there’s a youthful spirit to his music, a product of the fact that he’s a self-taught producer who’s been figuring out music on his own. While Lean chose to rap about being sad, the emotions he was portraying alongside his Arizona endorsements never exactly felt sincere. By the time he released it, he had already worked with Travi$ Scott, Hit-Boy, BJ The Chicago kid, and Virgil Abloh. In 2007 its name was changed to Best New Artist, as the category underwent a format change to recognize the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video. H Hawkline: 2015 should be an amazing year for music. When the album drops in 2016, it’s really going to be game over. It’s like five people screaming down the microphone at once. If they keep these levels up, 2016 could be a massive year for this band. It’s some real player shit. Stormzy didn’t start making music this year, not at all. Their songs are drenched in the kind of lo-fi, three-chord scrappiness that made Palma Violets and Black Lips so irresistible when they first came out. This eclectic taste manifests itself in his rapping style and in the beats he chooses, with “88 Changes” serving as a great example of a warm, multi-layered beat pairing perfectly with Wonders’ easy ear for memorable melodies. Look out for Jones’ debut album in 2016. We’ve seen a drug-fueled, shadowy figure from Toronto become a superstar. Låpsley 13. We first fell in love with “Know Me Better,” a too-cool anthem with big piano chords that keeps Mabel’s acrobatic vocals front and center. Sheer Mag: Like a more lo-fi Strokes playing T Rex covers, Sheer Mag’s recent self-titled EP was one of last year’s most thrilling listens. “Seventeen” is a great song—an epically, addictively great song—but it didn’t feel like enough—until we pulled our heads out of the sand and listened to their demos from the first half of 2015. Gems like “shake” and “to earth and back” are just the beginning. But Nao’s music stays accessible, anchored by sparse, echoing drums that keep time while she builds erratic tornadoes of sound above the beat. For a lot of new artists, there needs to be something uniquely new to be exciting. 2015 had more than its fair share of turn-up anthems and Drake imitators, but that clutter made it so much more enjoyable to hear a newcomer like Innanet James pop up. Years & Years 6. DMA’s: An Aussie band who sound like they want to be Oasis in 1995? ), King Gizzard are a force to be reckoned with live – two drummers, numerous singers and a blizzard of guitars. We can’t wait to see what they have coming up. Only Real: Niall Galvin used to knock about with indie heroes Childhood before striking out on his own as Only Real. Stop it. Rationale is a London-based singer and producer who once told us, “I rarely write about fictional subjects or stories, so everything you need to know about who I am is in my songs and more importantly, in the lyrics.”. Smino’s S!CK S!CK S!CK EP, released this past fall, established a unique lane and showed impressive consistency. From South London to the UK charts with their self-released Don’t Panic project, Section Boyz bring a six man squad dynamic to every track. Both on and off the stage she delivers her songs with a self-assurance that puts her at the forefront of her contemporaries. Today’s approach to music is fast and sloppy, and it usually means that artists release half-baked ideas and fans consume it and forget about it just as quickly. There’s a raw, honest quality to early cuts like “drifty” that immediately recall prolific songwriters like Lianne La Havas or the country-flecked vocal stylings of Jack White’s folkier work. We didn’t have a choice. 3 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100. He kept the levels high with his second track “Re.Up,” and has closed out 2015 with “Mire” and his Fuel to the Fire EP. His debut album, Gloveless Brain Transplant, growls, hisses, and spits back. It’s a lilting college-rock dream that deserves to be a sleeper hit in 2015. It sounds like early OutKast.”. The weight of every word he says can be felt, and the amount of emotional depth he displays on all of his tracks, “Cards & Conversation” in particular, paints him as a world-weary documentarian worthy of close attention. Through music videos, imagery, lyrics, and every other little detail, an artist can communicate what they’re all about, even without revealing any personal information. Chris Wiley , b. The artist was included in group shows at the Swiss Institute and the New Museum, and we expect that Ulman will take her investigation of new media even further in 2015. He had a lot to say when he showed up on Brockhampton’s tracks, but he’s absolutely explosive on his own thanks to a borderline insane delivery. Everything about his music comes across as if it was blasted through a broken amp, toying with melodies as strong as they come, but textures as broken as possible. See-sawing debut single ‘Babylon’ should boot them further in the right direction. His uniquely colorful yet powerful production style sees him crafting memorable melodies from wind chimes, distorted guitar, or crisp keys, and then pairing them with unexpected breakdowns and thunderous bass. We’ve been keeping an eye on blank body (who formerly went by the name bine) since last year, but in 2015 he has really flourished. We select the 15 best artists around today. Grime this, grime that, grime everywhere. It takes experience, trial and error, and development. As they share their debut EP piece by piece, CHINAH has given us different takes on a lushly textured sound, and “Minds” is their best song yet. 2015 was very good to Fetty Wap (aside from a scary motorcycle crash), and with his humble approach and hit-making ability, continued success in 2016 feels like a lock. A group of young artists coming together to make R&B or hip-hop isn’t exactly a novel idea in 2015, but Brockhampton isn’t interested in trying to replicate success formulas. This is a rapper you’ll recognize from his opening bars, and it’s not just his content, it’s how he delivers the message. Her followed it up with another strong effort, “Five Minutes,” but have been fairly quite since. He closed out the year in a big way by connecting with Chase & Status on “Wha Gwarn?,” hinting at collaborations with Sango, and convincing Craig David to make an appearance on his debut album—so it’s safe to say 2016 is going to be bonkers. She’s been kicking ass recently though, and I’m really excited for her.”. Soko 10. Back in April, Bonkaz opened up the flood gates with the release of his anthem “We Run The Block.” The London rapper followed up his huge single by making a sharp (and unexpected) transition from hard-hitting rhymes to smoother, almost romantic deliveries on “Pretty Brown Eyes” and “L.A. The artist has been quietly releasing originals (and Timberlake covers) and could fill the role that Kelela and Katy B fill for Fade to Mind and Rinse, respectively. Amazon; iTunes No newcomer experienced the same level of success (or drew as many cries of “industry plant”) as Post Malone. O∆ works like a mini motion picture. Let’s just hope that the duo doesn’t keep us all waiting for too long and decides to kick off the year with some new music. The MTV Video Music Award for Push Best New Artist has been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. It’s vicious, but it’s also cushioning with a sense of surreal security. Sounding remarkably like Sam Cooke and with a back-story to die for, he’s being mentored by White Denim and courted by practically every reputable record label in the world. Whether it’s the impassioned verses of Ameer Vann and Matt Champion, or the slick production from Romil and Bear//Face, no one in Brockhampton is a weak link. But it’s not just the music: Post is always brimming with positivity and has already navigated some difficult questions with an impressively level-headed approach. He told us he’s “rooting” for them in 2015. The Preatures: Tipped by Anton Newcombe, Brian Jonestown Massacre: “I caught The Preatures’ set at Glastonbury last year, and noticed Isabella [Manfredi, singer] really going for it like only an amazing performer does. They’ve got a modern approach and a message, always delivered with intensity and a clear sense of purpose. 2015 was a time for experimentation and independence, a time of self-discovery and social commentary. The world's defining voice in music and pop culture since 1952. He followed it up with the You Will Never Find EP and some great collaborations with another one of our favorite young artists, Trapo. The constant throughout it all, though, is Styrke’s confidence. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Although their sound is remarkably similar to that of fellow Aussies Pond (seriously, what is it with psych bands and flutes?! He’s also gotten into the remix game with a great rework of Wet’s “It’s All In Vain,” and did us the honor of playing one of our No Ceilings shows last month. The obvious, traditionally radio-friendly stuff still exists, but so many younger artists came with a different approach. They’ve got a couple of absolutely amazing songs.”. Mark Wynn: Having spent the past year running acoustic nights in York and releasing his music via local ’zines, Wynn has been called the UK’s next great street poet and compared to Mark E Smith. Girl Band: The Dublin band have just signed to Rough Trade after a year of teasing us with some of the most exciting gigs we’ve seen in a long while. Palace: Sounding not unlike Wu Lyf, Palace might just be Jamie T’s favourite new band (he picked them to support him last year). Go to 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards (2015) Top; Watch our video with London here and see pictures from his brilliant No Ceilings performance here. Bo En: Bromley producer Bo En’s infrequent yet brilliant remixes single him out as a special talent. Real Lies: Tipped by Harry Koisser, Peace: “Real Lies used to be more electronic, but then they got a drummer and a bassist and changed a bit. Already making a bid to run the streets, Stizz might just have what it takes to run radio too. It’s really good.”. I think he’s going to usher in an Atlanta renaissance sound. Spring King: Tipped by Kieran Shudall, Circa Waves: “Spring King are a fivepiece based in Manchester. And yes, Albini is a fan of the Nashville-based band too. Alexander Pierre and Sanna Colling are the duo responsible for creating debut single ‘Cry On The Floor’, which sounds like the primal garage of 13th Floor Elevators stomping all over Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood’s creations. Hinds: Madrid’s Hinds – the erstwhile Deer – arrived on a wave of hype in the middle of last year, which got so out of hand they even ended up with Vaccines man Freddie Cowan helping out as a roadie at one industry-packed gig in London. Announcing the 2015 NVAs: 15 Artists Under 30 We’ve been publishing the N ew Visual Artists issue since 1998. Following the impressive “Bet I” with “Dirt,” plus lots of solo tracks from various members, their future is incredibly bright. These two have a special chemistry, and 2015 was just the introduction. For Stockholm’s Anti Pony, though, it’s an ever-whirring kaleidoscope of sonic potential. There is more to Atlanta than trap music, turn-up professionals, and hit-makers. ‘Sportswear’ talks of “broken dreams” and has him sounding a little like Mike Skinner back in his early days. That’s not the case here—Gellaitry has proved time and time again that he’s leading the pack, with electronic production that sounds like it was beamed in straight from the future. The band’s live shows are anarchic, their songs fast and their videos – particularly ‘Chains’ – already the stuff of legend. Lock up your daughters. That said, we’ll probably be thinking the same exact thing next year. ‘Fill My Gums With Blood’ is a Wolf Alice fave.”. This month he released “Ciabatta” and followed it up with another EP, blkjptr, an even stronger collection of songs. Låpsley: Merseyside singer Låpsley bagged the One To Watch prize at last year’s GIT Award for breaking new acts in Liverpool, and she was snapped up by XL shortly after. From the piano balladry of Tobias Jesso Jr to Vegas newcomer Shamir’s fearless flamboyance, 2015 is in plentiful supply of exciting breakout acts. Out of all the newcomers in 2015, Tiggs Da Author has to be the most fun. An overplayed trope in the canon of comedy and drama: signify change (the deep kind) by enacting surface change (the shallow kind). The San Marcos-bred 24-year-old peeks beneath every formative pebble, but the details don’t distract from his greater vision. The “child prodigy” label doesn’t suit Sam Gellaitry. Within the last decade, the award for Best New Artist has gone to Maroon 5, John Legend, Carrie Underwood, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Zac Brown Band, Esperanza Spalding, Bon … When LA-based Tobias first uploaded his demo track ‘Just A Dream’ in August 2013, we hailed it as coming from the same school as Harry Nilsson, John Lennon and Elton John. She was so nervous – she shyly said where she was from and that it was her first show, but as soon as she started playing you could feel that nervousness go away. Cousin Stizz quickly cemented himself as a future hit maker last summer thanks to three bangers: “Life,” “Fireman,” and “Shoutout.” The third, laced by producer Obeatz with smooth, shimmering synths, lit the final fuse. BEST NEW ARTIST Iggy Azalea HAIM Bastille Brandy Clark Sam Smith. She has two more Grammy nominations under her belt—Record of the Year and Song of the Year—for her hit "All About That Bass." Nao absolutely slayed in 2015, bringing a blend of sensuality and aggression that set her apart from similarly electronic artists. In 2015, the singer was named Best New Artist. Here are the best. Tracks like ‘Monaco’ and ‘In The Mirror’ recall the angsty, pinpointed brilliance of new wave giants like Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. Corbin (f.k.a. Chicago artist/group Goodbye Tomorrow has done this masterfully so far. Though the effort is vast, the goal of our annual list is simple: We seek to find the most interesting, challenging and provocative young voices working today. Ella Henderson 5. The Dallas talent blew up off “White Iverson,” while the tastefully radio-ready “Tear$” and melancholic “Too Young” proved his sound had legs. The singer who has lived most of his life in the US, has had a lot of controversy of recent, since he … Lean’s music isn’t a joke, but a lot of its content is. He sounds a little like Lou Reed, which is perfectly fine with us. When LA-based Tobias first uploaded his... 2 Shamir. Then she hit back with a second banger, “My Boy My Town,” complete with a stark, elegant video in black and white. Both “Lethal” and “You Made Me” are produced by A$AP affiliate Stelios Phili, but each fills its own void in spite of some common ground. Anti-Pony: For some bands, psychedelia is just a flavour of the month. His sound is a mix of James Blake’s swerving electronics, Pharrell’s falsetto choruses and, occasionally, Future Islands’ growl. Stizz raps with a vengeance on “Bonds” and generously supplies listeners with some of the best hooks of the year (“No Bells,” “Dum Dope,” “Fresh Prince”). CHINAH, the Danish three-piece of Fine, Simon, and Simon, debuted in July with “Away From Me,” a gorgeous piece of electronic pop music, and they’ve had us bewitched ever since. winner. Goodbye Tomorrow’s very special debut live show is going down on December 22. Best New Artist of 2014 (Best of the Booth Award Winner) Author: Nathan Slavik Updated: Feb 12, 2018 Original: Jan 8, 2015. Seinabo Sey 4. In its 29 minutes, his penchant for enveloping synths, falsetto, and slowly paced rhymes creates a gravitational pull. Image via Leisure on Facebook/Credit: James Stringer. Virginia Wing: Tipped by Joe Mount, Metronomy: “We’ve taken this band Virginia Wing with us on tour. She even gave Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” a modern twist. More than a wayward singer with a fancy for kitchen dresses, O’Connor’s only direction is up. Sing-alongs like “Coming Home” and “Lisa Sawyer” help recall a time when songwriters didn’t need a drop, and with Leon’s help, it might just be possible to get back to those simpler days. Both artists are heavy influences for dev09, a new voice quickly amassing the following her music deserves. In short, London has already proven himself capable of world creation with his first project. From Swedish pop to boundary pushing rap, from timeless soul to raw grime, 2015 has already been an exciting year for new artists. Throughout his breakout debut album Coming Home, the 25-year-old Texan eschews all of modern music’s technological developments for his trusty guitar, correctly assuming it would be a crime to hide those vocals behind effects or distortion. His violent approach to hip-hop might be a little too much for some, but there’s no denying how infectious Merlyn’s off-the-wall energy can really be. 1981, lives in New … Trapo’s debut EP, The Black Beverly Hills, is unflinchingly honest. Loyle Carner: With links to King Krule and Kate Tempest, Londoner Loyle’s early tracks like ‘Cantona’ and ‘BFG’ dealt tenderly with the death of his stepfather. She’s the byproduct of her own choices and tastes and, as such, a powerful symbol for youth. Employing what are essentially producer no-nos, his debut album sounds like it was compressed down to fit on a Megadrive cartridge. In a time filled with viral online sensations, Kodak is building national buzz from a local following, and by the time he takes off, he’ll already have a real built-in fanbase. Kwabs: Tipped by Hayden Thorpe, Wild Beasts: “Kwabs is amazing. His incredibly introspective, personal rapping and soulful but gruff singing says a lot about how ready he is to break through. Cartier’s passion is his strongest suit, and he’s as convincing discussing questions of fate and mortality as he is tackling Toronto’s microcosmic inequalities. London-based Constance teamed up with Blue Daisy who produced her entire In The Grass EP, and the two formed a perfect partnership. We were initially a little hesitant to include sjowgren on this list. It’s that good—a fully-realized concept album with the highest ambitions. But when you think about it, a lot of the lasting talents have a timeless quality that doesn’t depend on the trends and modern styles of the contemporary soundscape. His voice is incredible – very deep, soulful and beautiful – and he’s had some production done by Dave [Okumu] from The Invisible. Yung Lean is proof that confusing your audience just as much as entertaining them can elevate what was otherwise an innocuous subversion of norms into a feverish cult of grand proportions. Yak: Yak’s gigs are already the stuff of legend, and frontman Oli Burslem is one of the most refreshing interviewees around. Interlude.” His EP Forgive Me When Im Famous served as a proper example of his musical range. It’s been the year of his introduction to new audiences, both at home and in the U.S., with “Know Me From” bubbling up and Stormzy’s hard work paying off when he won the BET Award for Best International Act. Frenetic guitars merge perfectly with singer Christina Halladay’s OTT personality, and she has perhaps the best voice in rock since Beth Ditto stepped up to the mic. Bubbling for the most part with James Murphy-inspired dance bangers, it showcased his extraordinary vocals, which recall the androgyny of disco legend Sylvester, alongside an intense, personal attachment to the songs – the likes of which we haven’t witnessed for years. Explore it and enjoy it.”. There’s a tendency to liken him to PC Music or the game composing scene, but in reality his work offers something more intriguing than that: ambiguity, amazing melody and a knack for eschewing genres that usually tie others down. He’s influenced by his Peruvian background and his bi-coastal lifestyle, and if he keeps the quality as high as “Vibe W/U” and “Round Whippin,” A.CHAL should make a big impact in the coming years. Since then, Cartier has been touring relentlessly and, in November, peeled off a string of fresh singles that were premiered on OVO Sound Radio. Aggregate what’s great, internalize all you learn, and then return the favor by offering something unique. Grace Mitchell 2. If you’re a fan of Pavement and The Flaming Lips, you need to hear him. He really hasn’t put a foot wrong this year, and collaborations with vocalists Night Lovell and kaya only hint at the exciting potential future moves. Slaves: This Kent duo are already all over music TV and mainstream radio, which is refreshing considering their punk credentials (stand-up drumming, lyrics about running people over, Oi! Dude has put in work this year, and he capped it all off by releasing the Alex Moran EP, five tracks of lightning flows, thunderous beats, and great wordplay. How? 2015 was an incredible year for pop music. A bright future beckons. Twin Peaks: Twin Peaks may have risen up in the shadow of fellow Chicagoans The Orwells but – whisper it – they’re actually the better songwriters. Here’s 50 we’re hyped to watch blow up this year…. Lief Hall: Berlin-based Lief Hall uses her voice to explore harmony, texture, mood and rhythm. With an appreciation for classic rock’n’roll from The Kinks to The Strokes, they’re alarmingly prolific, not to mention one of the best live garage acts around today. Nothing is off limits. They have a guy and a girl singer [Andrew Cashen and Sabrina Ellis], who write the songs together. Counting Soundcloud cult-favorites Blank Body and Dylan Brady as producers in his arsenal, it’s an understatement to say that Lovell is in good company. The "Stay With Me" crooner took home one of the biggest awards at the 2015 Grammys: Best New Artist! The Magic Gang: From hosting riotous house parties to writing indie earworms like early track ‘Shallow’, The Magic Gang have been quietly staking their claim as new indie stars since forming in Brighton a year ago. The smooth and funky sound of New Zealand’s Leisure had us hooked from the opening bass riff and airy vocals of “Got It Bad.” Where that song took us on a psychedelia-tinged journey through a red hot desert, “Hot Love” was more like sauntering along the beach with a girl on your arm.